


Exhibition

by livvy_luu



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-14
Updated: 2017-05-14
Packaged: 2018-10-31 17:31:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,837
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10904130
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/livvy_luu/pseuds/livvy_luu
Summary: Set 50 years after the war has ended. Levi has discovers There will is an exhibition on at the local museum for the history of the survey corps.





	Exhibition

**Author's Note:**

> This is to go along with a piece of art I have done. It does have some spoilers if you have not read the manga or are up to date with it. but nothing major.
> 
> it's only a rough thing. I am not intending on editing it or anything. I just wanted to get it out of my mind and I feel it is too long to post on tumblr. so it's why I am here.

Levi wakes to the sound of a car backfiring outside his house. He jolts, suddenly alert and ready to pounce. As he hears the car engine roar outside he breathes a sigh of relief, his eyes adjusted to the soft darkness of his living room the room bathed in burgundy light as the sun shines through the thin curtains. He watched as the dust filters through the light finally standing to open to the early morning.

Began doing the housework at 7am, the cleaning lady will be in during the afternoon for everything he can no longer do, however he remains diligent with his dusting and polishing the television playing in the background some terrible court room show. He leans heavily on his stick as he makes his way through the house dusting and tidying as he goes. How does it even get this messy!? He thinks and scolds himself. The walk up the stairs is always the hardest. Oh, how he used to fly, but now his knees prevent him from too much activity. The upstairs remains untouched, all but the wardrobe and bathroom his clothes he cannot remember the last time he fell asleep in his bed. The bathroom is filled with natural light as he begins shaving. He pulls and pushes on deep wrinkles across his face, his grey hair still falling how it did all those years ago. Running old fingers through the back of his hair he makes a mental note to see the barber today.

When he returns down stairs dressed with a small overcoat and his shopping bags he swears softly to himself pulling on a flat cap he makes his way into the early morning and to the bus shelter. It is only a short distance away, around the corner by the new agents. He watches as young children run past bags on backs and skateboards in hands. Shouting to one another as they wait for also make their way to the bus stop.

When the young boys see Levi approaching the all offer him a seat. “Mr Smith! Please sit down, we can all stand it’s okay!” One young boy beams eyes bright as they bounce softly on their heels. Levi cannot help his eyeroll as he hobbles his way into the shelter. “So, Mr Smith, off into town so early? Why would you do that. When I retire I will sleep in until the afternoon.” Another boy sits by him. “Well that’s where you and I differ. I’m not a lazy shit.” All the boys smile back at him. He offers a smile in return. Even now it seems, people gravitate towards him. Much to his dismay. “Oi, Mr Smith. Us lot were thinking-”

“God help us all.” He interrupts which causes another round of laughter from the teenagers.

“Us lot were thinking. well, more our mum’s but we agree too. If you need any help like the garden or something let us know.”  
“I’m not an invalid.” Levi sighs as he clutches his shopping bags. Eyes focused on the liver spots. “Nah Mr Smith you got it all wrong. We won’t take over or nothing but we can help you.“ Levi doesn’t respond, but he tucks away the information for later. His garden is getting rather messy, Erwin would not enjoy sitting out there. "plus-” one of the young boys draws his attention “it means we can avoid our homework. We got a big project on the great war. Being the 50th anniversary. It’s so dull, I wanna learn more about the walls and the titans! But we’re doing the effects of the war at home.” The boy huffs, and Levi sneers. “The titans are not for your entertainment. They were real people, real people who suffered and lost everything. Even their soul!” All 4 of the teenagers turn to Levi shock etched across their face. Levi, only now realises he is panting with anger. “We’re sorry Mr Smith, I guess we forget sometimes you lived through it. It’s not just words in a text book.” An awkward air falls upon the 4 boys and Levi. He scrunched his fist into the fabric of his shopping bags. “Hey, the bus is coming!” They All stand quickly reaching into their school uniform pulling out their money and Levi pulls out his pension card. “Oh look! We should go to the exhibit.” He hears on me boy shout. He looks up and finds the boy pointing at the advertisement on the bus. His heart stops. He knows that image. He only saw it once decades ago. Erwin’s commander portrait. He turns away and looks back after a few moments. Surely this can’t be real. “50th anniversary of the great war: special exhibition; history of the survey Corps” The horn of the bus blares tearing Levi from the poster. Offering the driver what he hopes is a look of disgust but when he catches his reflection as he steps up to the driver it is nothing but shock, colour drained even from his eyes. He notices as the 4 young teenagers look at him worry written all over them but He ignores them. He makes a conscious effort to sit in the seat as close to Erwin’s image. Even if it is on the outside of the bus.

He thinks of the time when he first saw that painting. Erwin had told him a portrait hangs in the military courts, he made Erwin take him to it. It was a beautiful piece Erwin in his formal attire he only wore to galas and balls. So simple in comparison to the garrison and MPs “Well survey corps commanders die so often they wouldn’t have enough gold thread in the walls to make the uniform decoration.” Levi can feel his eyes water as he thinks of Erwin’s soft smile and quiet chuckle. After all these years. He lets out a shaky breath stopping the tears from falling. ‘what would you of thought of this world, Erwin? You probably would have made more sense of it. All this technology. It’s so different from the walls. I miss them sometimes. Is that bad to say Erwin? Are you disappointed in me?“ He can’t help it as a number of tears break free. He pulls out his handkerchief dabbing lightly at his eyes. The image of Erwin has not been this vivid in years. It feels as if the man is sitting right next to Levi swaying as the bus moves this way and that. He decides to visit the exhibition before shopping the museum was opposite the supermarket anyway. As the bus pulled up all he could see was Erwin. The same advertisement from the bus but larger. The stairs up to the entrance bring pain. A sharp surge each time he puts weight upon his knee but he gritted his teeth and carries on.

The Museum serves as the town library and gallery. He never paid it any attention until now. It is modern and the woman at the front desk sits behind a large computer. His walking stick echo’s through the entrance. The woman at the desk offers a genuine smile as he approaches. “hey, can I get a ticket for the Survey Corps exhibit.” He hangs his stick on the edge of the desk as he pulls out his leather wallet. “Of course sir, the exhibition is free to the public-“ she tapes away at her computer until the ticket machine by her whirls and wizzes, she hands him the small piece of card, even on their Erwin’s face is covered across it. “Would you like to purchase a programme. They are 2.99?”  
“Uh, sure why not.” He hands the woman three coins in exchange for the book, the front cover is the wings of freedom, his hand moves across the shield as if he could stroke the feathers. “The exhibition is on the first floor. The lift is just through there if you do not wish to use the stairs.” Her hand glides as it points in the direction of the lift. Levi nod he looks down at his empty shopping bags and clears his throat. “Can I leave my bags with you…I don’t want to carry them around with me.” The woman nods and reaches out a hand as Levi passes his empty bags. 

The exhibition is dark, the only light coming from the soft yellows surrounding photos and documents. He passes each image slowly, photos of the walls taken from the air, images of the bombed streets after the Marley Attacks. The notes on the walls as he walks offer a brief insight into the origins of the titans; the Eldians, the Marely, the wars. He sighs heavily barely registering their information. He stops when information of the survey corps comes up, He hears Erwin’s voice in his head reading the words to him. There are illustrations of the 3D manoeuvre gear as well as fragments of the gear He thinks of his own locked safe under his bed at home. It seems that in the exhibition they have no full set. 

It’s an odd sensation, for Levi to see his past like this hung up on walls and speculated. He knows very little information came out of the walls having most physical evidence burning with the fall. He even sees his name mentioned a fair few times ‘The legendary Levi Ackerman.” His eyes fall onto a heavy book encased in glass. His breath hitches once again. It’s Erwin ledger, just one of the supply record books he kept in his office the page falls on the year 847, two years into Erwin command. Levi leans as close as he can to the book, it is in very good condition almost as if the ink had just dried upon the page. He notices a small tea stain as the edge and a smile pulls on his lips. He wishes he could trail his fingers across Erwin’s signature at the bottom. 

When he turns the corner, he stops in his tracks. There before him stands a life size wax work of Erwin by the portrait from the capital. Levi allows his feet to guide him to the bench opposite the wax work. His heart thumping in his chest trying so hard to leap out and find its place with Erwin once again. His hands tremble as he leans forward in his sit and allows the tears to build and fall. He sobs quietly, praying that the figure before him is in fact the real Erwin and he will walk up to Levi and embrace him. But as he grounds himself once again he realises, this is Erwin. It’s all wrong, his nose is wrong, his eyes are wrong, the uniform the gear. It angers Levi. “hey.” He startles the staff sitting a few metres away reading her book, she squeaks softly as she scurries over. “is everything okay, sir?”

“No, Where can I file a complaint?”


End file.
